t3 online

[droida]

hi could someone please PM me some good websites or companies i could order t3 from. gp not interested so going to try and source some myself

thanks

[RedApple Administrator]

Welcome to the forum droida,

Please give more information about your thyroid situation, such as your current medication, your most recent thyroid test results, any symptoms you are experiencing, and why you think you need T3.

[droida in reply to RedApple]

hi there.

i have autoimmune with tpo antibodies at 550.

last tsh was 5.8

serum t4 was 14

currently on levo 75mcg

gp happy with dose and lab results but still felt awful.

i managed to source 1 box of t3 which i have nearly used at 25mcg per day and the difference is unbeleavable.. feels like i have never been ill but im struggling to get anymore

[RedApple Administrator in reply to droida]

TSH 5.8 and FT4 14 means you are very underdosed on levothyroxine. You really should have your dose increased at least to 100mcg, and possibly even a further increase after that if TSH is not near the bottom of the range and FT4 near the top.

Many patients are experiencing difficulty in sourcing T3 themselves at the moment. There are supply problems. This is another very good reason to keep persevering with optimising your levothyroxine dose, because that is by far the easiest route!

[droida in reply to RedApple]

thats the problem. gp is happy with the results so asked me to wait 12 weeks and get bloods done again.

the weight gain, tiredness aching is no good. im self employed and when taking just t4. these past two weeks with adding t3 has been great

[elaine2447 in reply to RedApple]

Pardon my total ignorance, but what is the difference between NDT and T3. I wish I could change my life, lol like droida above. I got some 1/4 grain NDT from a functional medicine GP (nothing to do with my "caring" (NOT!!!) surgery as they would have had a fit, but felt awful and the consensus of opinion here and another forum was something up with my adrenals. I daresay that is right as I am always stressed. Only tried the morning finger prick test for cortisol and it was almost at the top. The Dutch dried urine 24 hour test which the FMP recommended ran into hundreds of pounds and I am fast running out of money having spent over £6000 in the last two years on useless endo and endo surgeon in search of the problem with my parathyroid so I have to be careful now with money.,

The only one day I felt okay on NDT was when I took a mirtazapine the night before which was a real puzzle to me. I dug out an old anti depressant as I had to go somewhere the next day and felt so ill that I thought I would have to let them down so popped a mirt only 15mg in the evening so I could sleep and felt quite like my old self for the rest of the next day, but next two days that followed horrendous, dizzy, sweaty, faint and when I went to lie down and shut the window because of the awful bird screaming noises found it was actually in my ears!!! However on googling found that mirtazapine is the only anti depressant that suppresses cortisol and a proper medical study was done on healthy individuals which found that this drug could suppress cortisol up to around 30 percent so I found my answer which was due to all you knowledgeable ladies saying it sounded like adrenals. I don't want to go down the mirtazapine route again and I don't fancy taking the ndt again.

I'm in a similar situation to droida , last tests were mid December but I have another kit at the ready. My antibodies actually have come down around 100 since going gluten free but I am not on any medication at all, only supplements, ashwagandha at lunch time and Holy Basil morning and night plus the usual magnesium, omega 3, boron, selenium (just started again) silica, sublingual B12, probiotic and Vitamin K2 (that is because I have severe osteoporosis and I cannot take calcium due to high blood calcium with hyperparathyroidism. I have so many health issues, feel like a walking miracle but more likely the walking dead!!

THYROID STIMULATING

HORMONE *4.62 mIU/L 0.270 - 4.200

FREE THYROXINE 14.27 pmol/L 12.000 - 22.000

TOTAL THYROXINE (T4) 81.2 nmol/L 59.000 - 154.000

FREE T3 4.42 pmol/L 3.100 - 6.800

Thyroid Antibodies

THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY 114.900 IU/mL 0.000 - 115.000

THYROID PEROXIDASE

ANTIBODIES *310.6 IU/mL 0.000 - 34.000

On the one occasion when the surgery arranged for an antibodies test (peroxidase) as a special favour because an endo asked for it (mind you it took them three attempts, in October they were 1300 which was as far as the range went at our local hospital 0 - 1300!! So I think they have improved with diet, I hope so and the thyroglobulin antibodies although still high are also no longer over the range.

Would love an opinion from anyone who has the time and understands all of this. Thank you.

B12 was top of the range, ferritin quite low which I understand is not unusual.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to elaine2447]

elaine2447,

Pardon my total ignorance, but what is the difference between NDT and T3.

The thyroid produces two hormones, commonly known as T4 and T3.

When people talk about obtaining T3, they are usually referring to the synthetic version of the hormone, which is frequently taken together with the synthetic version of the T4 hormone.

NDT = Natural Desiccated Thyroid which is derived from animal thyroid glands (usually pigs). Because of this, desiccated thyroid products contain both T4 and T3 hormones. If you look at the details on your bottle of NDT, it should tell you how much T4 and T3 each tablet contains.

I'm afraid I'm not able to help much with your other queries, but if you start a new post of your own (you could just copy and paste the above into a new post), hopefully others will offer suggestions.

[elaine2447 in reply to RedApple]

thank you very much for the explanation much appreciated. So evidently some people just takeT3 on its own. Perhaps tge combination was too much for me.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to elaine2447]

Yes, some people do take T3 on it's own. But by far the majority take T4 (levothyroxine) on it's own.

T4 is the 'pro hormone' (sometimes also called the storage hormone). Generally speaking, T4 is inactive and needs to be converted in the body and brain into T3 which is the active hormone. People who take T3 (whether alone or in combination with T4), usually have discovered that they are 'poor converters' i.e. they are unable to convert sufficient T4 into T3. So they need to take the T3 as well as, or instead of the T4.

Not everyone gets on with NDT. The usual approach to treating hypothyroidism is to start with T4 only (levothyroxine). An estimated 85% of hypothyroid people do get well by taking T4 only.

Looking at the thyroid test results you've posted above, you may do better to start with a trial of T4 only. Perhaps you could discuss this with your practitioner.

[elaine2447 in reply to RedApple]

Thanks so much for explaining all of this. I had no idea T4 was levo. Unfortunately my GP is one of those "within the normal range"fanatics and the Functional Medicine Practitioner who is also a GP is not around it seems and I feel badly let down by her.

[elaine2447 in reply to RedApple]

Sorry to ask yet another question but does T3 have a name (apart from synthetic hormone) , like T4 is Levo.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to elaine2447]

T3 = Liothyronine

[elaine2447 in reply to RedApple]

You're a star. At least I will know what I am talking about now, which will make a change x

[silverfox7]

Well if he's happy why suggest another bloods!!!!!! 6 weeks is the usually time to retest if a query!

I agree with Red Apple that you need to take more Levo and monitor that before you even think of the T3 route. You chances of getting T3 via the NHS is zero and in all probability you won't get it tested either. I would ask for the T4 to be increased and keep posting your results for comments. On the correct dose you make well be fine, many are but they don't complain on here, they don't need to. So you. We'd to get reading from a higher dose and see what is happening as yes your FT3 could be low if for instance you aren't converting well and you can only tell that if you are on Levo so things need to be addressed in the correct order. Even if you can't convert you can improve on that with getting the rest of things right so its all about balance and getting to the bottom of the cause first. Then you are in a position to look at options if you still have a problem.

[droida in reply to silverfox7]

gp is happy with the current dose and feels 12 weeks is fine to wait for bloods done as he feels my levels will be bk to normal after the 12 weeks..

i get the impression they are not interested in symptoms. only lab results.

the past 2 weeks i have had t3 have tottally chaged my life. if feels like i have never been ill